1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to video cameras and, more specifically to a video camera provided with a technique and system which are most suitable for a recycling system.
2. Description of the Background Art
Due to aggressive approaches to environmental problems in recent years, development of recyclable (reusable) products has become a major concern. Examples of recyclable products include a recording and reproducing device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 6-311406. The recording and reproducing device is provided with a video camera dedicated to recording not having any reproducing function as well as a separately provided reproducing device dedicated to reproduction.
The above mentioned structure has led to cost reduction of video cameras, making them readily available to users. A recorded content is brought to a copying agent where a reproducing device is placed, and copied onto a recording medium such as a video tape, so that the recording medium with the recorded content is made available to a user. The video cameras returned to the copying agent are brought back to a manufacturer for reuse and recycling of parts, which are reused for new video cameras.
In the conventional system of utilizing a recording and reproducing device as described above, when a user of a video camera is to record and verify the recorded content or acquire a recording medium, he or she must bring a video camera to a copying agent, where the content is copied onto a prescribed recording medium by a dedicated reproducing device. Thus, the user must go through a troublesome process of acquiring the recording medium with the recording content. In addition, the copying agent must pay equipment cost or expenses for placing the dedicated reproducing device in service for copying.